Nepali Mandir Meeting

Nepali Mandir Meeting
Jackson Heights
Prospect Park


Earlier in the afternoon I participated in the Board meeting of the Nepali Mandir. The attendance was impressive. There were a few newcomers like Sanjaya Parajuli. I have an hour of video from the event that I will post here soon.

Surprisingly the majority of the participants wanted to keep the Mandir intact. But there were a few disagreeing opinions. I have been a supporter of the Mandir since its inception, but I don't like the idea of people not living up to their commitments, and getting Chandra Prakash Sharma stuck in the process.

The issue has to be looked at from a few different angles.

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I suggested if we were to dismantle the Mandir, let's focus on two online options. Chandra Prakash Sharma (Chandra Prakash Sharma 2) has bought the domain name NepaliEvents.com. Let's have that as the site that has information on all Nepali events in the city. And let's build my NYC Nepali mailing list. All organizations will organize events. There would be this one website that tells you about it. And we would use the mailing list to publicize the events. We would also go the word of mouth route. Mine was a barebones proposal.

There are a total of maybe 10 Hindu and Buddhist festival events that have to be organized for the community per year. Is it not better to organize those events at existing pieces of real estate like the Dibya Dham temple, and instead focus our efforts on increasing participation? The current Nepali Mandir has only been good for a few Board meetings.

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November 6

But I thought about it overnight and this is what I would like to say.

1. Let's keep the Nepali Mandir going. Let's organize a much larger meeting later this month. A Nepali lady who makes $1000 a month has pledged $150 to rent the hall for the purpose. The hall is near the Mandir premises.
   
2. Let's find 200 Nepalis who will pay $5 a month for rent. We will have 20 Board members. Each Board member should find at least 10 Nepalis for the purpose.
   
3. The Mandir is $10,000 in debt. I think 100 of the richest Nepalis in the city should each pay $100 and be done with the debt.
   
4. Shift the Ganesha and Buddha statues to where the refrigerator is now. Leave the lights on 24/7. So devotees can get "darshan" any time of day or night, regardless of if the Mandir is open or not. The Mandir has a glass door, and is on the ground floor of a beautiful street.
5. Get rid of the barber shop "prayer wheel" outside.
   
6. Put a huge sign called Nepali Mandir where the barber shop sign used to be, same size.
   
7. Ram Chandra Thapa makes sure the Mandir is open during weekends. We should commend him for that.
   
8. There are 20 Nepalis who have keys to the temple. The key should be left only with those who will open the Mandir for at least one hour each week. So get some of the keys back.
   
9. The new Mandir location is better than the old location. For bigger events and larger crowds we have the hall that can be rented for $150 per event. The actual Mandir is where you go for darshan, and you are in and out. Between the Mandir and the hall, we can hope to do even some of the larger festival events. What is next? Shivaratri? Maghe Sankranti? Holi?
   
10. Let's keep this Mandir going, and let's keep our other options open. Is there talk among the Ridgewood Nepalis to set up another Mandir? Should the two be merged? Where would be the new location?
    
11. We might go back to a bigger, more expensive, nearer to Jackson Heights place down the line. But that will have to be a place that sustains itself. Perhaps dance and language classes for Monday to Friday to generate income. Also rent out the space for birthday parties and the like.
    
12. 200 Nepalis who put in $5 a month. That looks doable. What do you think?
    

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ANONYC

We also have to set this up. I am a proud and politically conscious Madhesi, but I have refused to become an Officer with ANTA, Association of Nepali Teraian in America, although I am an active, ordinary member. It is because ANTA is a member of umbrella organizations like NAC and ANA that are not democratic, not mass based. When you go to an ANA convention, it is like you went clubbing.

There is this clique of about 100 professionally accomplished Nepalis who act like they speak on behalf of the Nepalis in America. Who elected them? Unless they reform, I am very tempted to boycott the next ANA Convention, to be helf in Los Angeles.

Reorganize the NAC along the ANONYC lines. All Nepali organizations in America would be members, each such organization would have voting powers in direct proportion to how many members it has. It is called the vertical implications of one person, one vote. It is called democracy.

The psychology behind the existing undemocratic elitist structure is as follows. Nepalis hit the glass walls and ceilings even when they accomplish professionally. So they have to fall back and fall back hard on the Nepali community to get recognized.

We have to practice democracy within the Nepali community if it is to earn its rightful place on the American political landscape. We start with the city.

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When I crunch the numbers, Karma Gyalden Sherpa looks like is the obvious choice for president. He is the founder of a Sherpa association that is the largest and most vibrant Nepali organization in all of America. And he also is the president of the larger alliance of the many Janajati groups in the city that are the pride of the Nepali community. (Alliance, GFIPN: Audio, Video) I think it is between Karma Gyalder Sherpa and Tara Niraula (Happy New Year 2063). One will be president, another vice president. Then we will need a Secretary. I think Mridula Koirala. But is she too busy? Does she lead any organization? By definition, to become a member of ANONYC, either you have to be the president of an organization, or you have to be sent as a representative. The Secretary has to be doing a lot of work. Perhaps Sanjaya Parajuli. I would recommend Luna Ranjit. (Adhikaar 2, Adhikaar) Chandra Prakash Sharma could represent the Nepali Mandir, and the Nepali Aawaz, and the Nepali Convention and become Treasurer. Binay Shah of ANTA and Kamala Prasain of INLS could be Executive Committee members. Mohan Gyawali and Anand Bist are some other active members.

I have no desire to play kingmaker. I think the ANONYC should be launched. And individuals will have to express interest for the Officer positions. And we should attempt a consensus. If not, we hold elections. But I do think we have to attempt ethnic and gender diversity.

If we were to blog all the meetings, there is less need for one and all to get in the top Officer positions. I would just like to be an ordinary member as the president of Hamro Nepal.

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